Someone To Talk To
by krazidaizy
Summary: She loses the love of her life to Voldemort. Her guardian angel leads her to some one entirely unexpected.
1. Wishing Away The Pain

Someone To Talk To  
  
I am so sorry for not writing these past few months. I've had some personal issues happen and I haven't had the time nor the energy to write. I'm having a creative span and would like to take this story into a different direction that my normal stories. I plan to use a little more angst and sadness in this one and see how readers respond. If it doesn't work out as well I'll go back to my original ways of writing. Enjoy!  
  
Ch. 1 Wishing The Pain Away  
  
"It's okay, Ginny. Just run towards the edge and let the wind do the rest," Hermione encouraged softly towards her best friend.  
Ginny closed her eyes and shifted her weight on her feet. In a few moments, she would run off the edge of the cliff and try hang gliding- the first big adventure she would have in nearly 3 months. The winds were blowing through her hair, the sky was crystal clear and the horizon extended on for what seemed like eternity. Ginny felt she was a lot higher up than she really was, like she could reach her hand out and touch heaven. Her heart broke a little when she knew that would never be possible.  
Hermione saw the sadness in Ginny's eyes, and motioned for her to relax a minute.  
"I know it still hurts, honey. I miss him too. I still look next to me expecting him to be there. But he's gone, and it's time that we start living again. You know he wouldn't have wanted us to be sad for so long. Remember his spirit; he lives on inside you, like he does in all of us."  
Ginny said nothing, but nodded that she understood. She firmed her grip on the handlebars and waited for the next gust of air to sweep her away. Hermione backed away from enormous wing span of the hang glider and watched as Ginny took off in one fleeting moment.  
She felt weightless. The wind rushed up through her like nothing she had ever experienced. She felt another power protect her and guide her through the sky. Ginny closed her eyes and images of Harry flooded back into her mind. His smile, his eyes, his hair, the way he held her, the way he made love to her, the way he danced with her filled Ginny's soul. Ginny reached out, knowing well enough that he wasn't there, but still hoping that some one, Harry, would take her hand and take her away with him.  
In the days following her graduation, Harry had surprised Ginny with a romantic vacation to the beaches of India, where the waters were as blue as her eyes. Each of the seven days they spent there were filled with laughter, good food, romantic sunsets and falling asleep under the stars after making love in their tiny but cozy bungalow. Her skin rippled under his as his sinewy arms would hold her tight and safe while their bodies and souls became one.  
All of that was savagely stolen from her upon returning from their vacation. Voldemort's power had grown stronger and stronger by the day. No one in the wizarding world was safe, not even Harry. No matter how many spells or charms he had cast, Voldemort's was stronger and better. Hermione, Ron, Ginny and Harry had practiced charms and incantations day in and day out to try and better protect themselves from Voldemort, knowing that he would soon find them.  
It was only a matter of days before the four of them were confronted by Voldemort, now more powerful than ever. The battle was gruesome, tiring and long. It seemed that nothing would stop Voldemort until Hermione cast a spell that weakened him slightly, giving Harry the upper hand. He shot out the most deadly, the most dangerous of all death spells, thus eliminating Voldemort and his evil.  
Ginny shuddered as Harry's last moments sent chills down her spine. Harry turned towards his friends, his scar suddenly gone. He smiled before collapsing onto the pavement. Ginny rushed to him and held him closely, crying as she begged him to stay awake. Hermione and Ron held on to one another, tears and sweat covering their faces. Harry held on to Ginny's hand, gasping for air.  
"I have always loved you, Ginny Weasley," Harry gasped out as he closed his eyes. Ginny collapsed next to him as she knew he was gone. Harry's connection to Voldemort had ultimately caused his death, the lightening scar, feeling his emotions, utter exhaustion from fighting. Voldemort's death was Harry's as well.  
She opened her eyes and a solitary tear fell from her eye. She looked out from all around, suddenly pained by the memories of her love. So badly she wanted to feel his arms just one last time around her, to have his lips cover hers, to hold his hand one last time.  
A sudden change in direction had Ginny headed straight for the cliffs. Trying desperately to turn herself the other way, Hermione screamed down to her instructing her how to alter directions. The wind was picking up speed and she was headed faster and faster towards the jagged edges. She closed her eyes and quietly began to cry. Hermione's screams were drowned out by her own fear and a morbid relief, knowing that she'd soon see her beloved Harry once more and that they would be together again. She felt a strange sensation on her hand, as though some one had interwoven her fingers into theirs. The hang glider slowly began to turn towards the ocean again, and a strange calm Ginny had not felt in months rushed over her. It was as if some one had taken her hand and turned her away from the cliffs. The sadness she had felt only moments before were replaced by weightlessness, like she was being carried.  
"Harry?" Ginny asked cautiously. "Are you there?" There was no response from anything to indicate that his spirit was with her.  
"Harry if you're there please give me a sign. Please let me know that you are okay. I love you so much and miss you like you can't imagine. I wish you could come back to me. You weren't supposed to go so soon. You and I had so much more time together and it was stolen. Harry are you there?" Another tear slipped down Ginny's cheek. The hang glider was slowly descending towards the landing strip until she touched ground and was dislodged from the hang glider. She saw Hermione running down the hill towards her.  
The wind blew again as Ginny felt a warm brush against her lips followed by a tingly sensation filling her body. She was calm, and fear and sadness were replaced with an emotion she couldn't describe.  
"Ginny! Ginny! Oh my god are you okay? You were headed right into the cliffs!"  
"Yea.I'm okay," she replied as Hermione took her into her arms. A warm wind blew around them as Ginny whispered.  
"I love you, Harry." 


	2. Three Years Later

Ch. 2 Three Years Later  
  
The full moon shone brightly in the puddle left by that evening's rains as Ginny was locking up her store "These Magical Moments". The night time air was still and silent and the stars could be seen for miles.  
After her hang gliding incident, Ginny had an epiphany and grabbed a new lease on life. Taking whatever money she had, she left London to travel all over Europe and Asia, from backpacking in the coldest mountains to dining in the finest restaurants in Japan. She realized that life was too precious and decided that from that day forward she would live the life she knew Harry would have wanted her to have. Her heart ached for him, but the pain grew less each day as she felt his presence and his strength during her journey. She kept a diary of her trials and her tribulations, and by the time she returned to her parents' home nearly a year later she felt stronger and prouder than she did at any other time in her life. But she still wasn't satisfied.  
She felt restless again, knowing that she needed something to quench her passion for living life. She wanted something more. After only a few months of living with her parents, she applied to a full time job as a grade school teacher for "The Little School Of Witches and Wizards" to save up money. She received the job, knowing that it would only be a temporary fix until she could do something she really wanted: opening a wedding planning agency. Ever since she was a little girl, she could remember dressing up in her mother's old gown and "marrying" the family owl. She felt it in her blood during her time at Hogwarts. She had already begun planning a small wedding for her and Harry, they having talked about the possibility of marriage.  
One weekend while apartment hunting with Ron, she stumbled across a "For Lease" sign on a decrepit old building. It was in a good, busy part of town and the rent was low for the size of the place. She knew that this was her chance to really make her dream come true. She disapparated to the owner of the building with Ron and after several hours of negotiation, she finally had her own place.  
She quickly moved out of The Burrow and moved into the building. It was two floors, one for her apartment and one for the store. Knowing that it would take time to build the place, Ginny took on another job as a bar tender in midtown London for extra cash, which she quickly earned up.  
It took Ginny another year before she was finally able to open the business, which has been running prosperously ever since. She designs wedding dresses, arranges for catering, invitations, floral arrangements, shoes, jewelry, music, tuxedos, the whole shebang. She was finally doing something that she loved, and for the first time in nearly three years, she felt whole and happy.  
After locking up the store, Ginny began walking to Ron's apartment to meet with he and Hermione, who have been dating for 4 years. Hermione had become such a beautiful young woman, with her soft wavy hair, mature curves and soft skin, Ginny found herself to be quite jealous of Hermione's beauty. Ginny herself was quite pretty, her flaming red hair in wavy layers, her thin figure and icy blue eyes made herself quite the looker. She was also a bit of a fashion nut, dressing in nothing but the best apparel such as Fersaci, Ormani, and Vucci. Tonight, dressed up in a black t-shirt, boots, boot cut jeans and a brown leather jacket, she was dressed to kill.  
As she approached the street to Hermione's and Ron's flat, she scrambled through her bag searching for the key to their apartment, unaware of the stranger just ahead. She looked up but too late, and ran into a man who smelled like strong woodsman.  
"Watch where you're going you stupid git!" cried an annoyed and condescending voice. Ginny knew who that voice belonged too and looked up in horror as her eyes met the icy silver eyes she had forever known.  
"Ah, Malfoy. How lovely it is to see you again," she replied sarcastically.  
"Weasley?" he asked shocked.  
"One in the same. Now if you'll excuse me, I have somewhere I need to be right now." With that, she stalked off, now thoroughly annoyed by his arrogance. Luckily, Ron's flat was just around the corner.  
She walked up to the 3rd floor and knocked on the door, and was greeted by Hermione's smiling face and something sparkly on her left hand.  
"Oh my god, Hermione?" The unspoken words between them and the expressions on their face was enough to figure out why she was in such a good mood. The girls screamed in delight and hugged each other tightly.  
"When?" she asked.  
"Last night. Ron took me to the restaurant where we had our first date and he had the band play our song which he sang to me and then he proposed to me on the bandstand." Hermione displayed the beautiful platinum and diamond set that Ron had purchased.  
"What was all that screaming," inquired Ron as he exited the bedroom. Ginny ran over and gave her big brother a hug and congratulated him.  
"Why didn't you tell me you were going to propose to her?" she played in a mock angry tone.  
"Because I knew you'd blab it to Mum and Hermione the first chance you got. You can't keep secrets worth a damn, Gin."  
"Now be nice, Ron." Hermione interjected, although they were all in such a good mood. Ron walked over and gave Hermione a quick kiss on her lips, which sent a pang of jealousy through Ginny's heart as she looked at her left hand and its empty ring finger. A memory of her and Harry looking and rings while walking through a mall flooded her mind, and Ginny had to blink back a few tears.  
"You two wouldn't believe who I saw while walking over," Ginny started as she took off her jacket and headed to the table where she would be eating.  
A look of panic flooded Hermione's eyes.  
"Malfoy." Ginny said flatly.  
"Ugh," Ron replied.  
"He still hasn't changed. Still pompous as ever. Oohh he makes me so mad!"  
"Well, I'm sure it was a one time thing. You probably won't have to see him again for a long time." Hermione brought out the steak and potatoes and they all sat down to eat.  
  
***  
  
Draco watched in bewilderment as Ginny stormed off in the opposite direction from which she had come. She had grown up, a lot. He hadn't seen her since he had graduated. Last he had heard she had run off to Asia after Potter's death. He walked a few hundred feet towards where she had come and found the sign to her store.  
"'These Magical Moments'. Owned and operated by Ginny Weasley," he read out aloud. She had her own store? Since when did she become so independent? He took a peak inside and saw wedding dresses and books on floral arrangements on her desk. He was most definitely intrigued by this. He would just have to come back tomorrow. 


	3. Remembering Her Pain

Ch. 3 Remembering Her Pain  
  
A/N: I know I'm a bit weird on the fashion details. I'm a fashion major at my school and a clothes horse like you can't imagine. I hope ya'll are liking the story, I'll try and update once a day or once every other day. If you have any suggestions/constructive criticisms I'd love to hear it. Enjoy!  
  
Ginny sat in her office the next day drinking a white mocha cappuccino going through her day. Dressed in black, straight leg boot cut trousers and a white wrap- around shirt and ankle length boots. Sometimes she was amazed by how much she had matured. Going to her appointment book, it was shaping up to be a lighter day. The "wedding" season as she liked to call it didn't start until the Spring, meaning brides were either planning their weddings for the summer or just picking up a gown they had preordered during the winter.  
After checking her messages and searching the back room for a dress a customer had ordered, she turned on the open sign and sat at her desk. Her next client wouldn't arrive until 10:30, giving her an hour and a half to begin her new line of dresses. Since the customer flow was generally light during the fall and early winter season, it gave her the most time to find her creative inspiration. Ginny hoped to have a line specific for winter weddings to even out the amount of traffic and increase profits.  
Grabbing her sketch book and drawing pencils, Ginny entitled this new portfolio "Winter's Wonders" and quickly became engrossed in her designs. With each new page, new excitement filled with in her as she added small, delicate embellishments and lace and ribbon to each dress she created. Realizing that she had finally worn down the pencil, she reached for her desk for the pencil sharpener.  
Finding it, she realized that it was next to a folded piece of paper. She opened it and gasped at what she saw and began to cry. In her hand she held the design of her dream wedding gown, the one she had sketched with Harry one day while they were hanging out in her room. They had just made love, and only covered by a blanket, inspiration struck her and she quickly grabbed the nearest writing utensil available, she took a blank piece of paper and began drawing it out.  
Harry held her in his arms and nuzzled next to her as he watched in fascination at her talent. Slowly the sketch came together. A halter dress with rose petals embroidered in the hem of the dress, Ginny created a full A skirt and straight line bodice with bead work and a mid back opening. It was the first time that Harry had told Ginny that he was madly in love with her, the first time he told her he wanted to be with her for the rest of his life, the first time they had made love, period.  
Ginny's hands trembled uncontrollably as her mind wandered back to that very magical night. He had taken her ice skating on a pond near the Burrow, the snow was falling and they had been together for nearly a year. Harry had already graduated, while Ginny still had another semester at Hogwarts. The night had grown cold and the entire Weasley family was off visiting Charlie. They were up in her room, listening to her favorite song, "Hello" by Evanescence when Harry suddenly got up.  
"What is it, Harry?" Ginny inquired. She got up and looked straight at him, a look a fear spread across her face.  
" Ginny, I have loved you since that first time we kissed. I didn't know how to tell you, but every morning I wake up thinking about how wonderful it would be to have you in my arms, and every night my heart breaks a little knowing that you were all the way in your bed and not with me. I don't ever want you to leave my arms, I want to always be with you."  
Ginny's eyes watered. Her dream had finally come true.  
"I've loved you since the moment I saw you, back at the silly train station." She kissed him and felt his tears roll past their lips. They embraced one another in their kisses, each more magical, more powerful, more intense than the last.  
"Make love to me, Ginny." And that's all it took. He rubbed her nose with his, and she began to take off his clothes. She unzipped his jacket and let it fall to the ground. Harry put his strong hands on her tiny waist, hooking his fingers under her shirt. She raised her arms and let him peel it off. He stepped back, taking off his own sweater, standing there in his jeans and revealing a well defined 6 pack and muscled arms. She unhooked her bra and let it slide down her body before they embraced one another. They fell backwards onto her bed and felt each other sink into their kisses. Harry's hands traveled down to her jeans and slowly began to unbutton them, bringing them down to her ankles until they joined their shirts. Ginny lay there in only her panties and helped Harry take off his trousers and boxers. He lay Ginny down, kissed down to each breast, sucking each nipple and making his way down to her panties, slowly peeling them off of her legs. He reached under the bed where they had kept the condoms in case of an emergency and put one on before allowing his mouth to kiss Ginny's most private area. He didn't stay their long- he wanted it to be about the two of them. He made his way back to her mouth.  
"I want you inside of me, Harry," Ginny whispered. Carefully, cautiously so not to hurt her, Harry entered Ginny. They were now one. Ginny felt as if some one had set off fireworks inside of her as they rocked their bodies against one another in a slow, steady rhythm. The snow still fell outside, and while Ginny was in some discomfort, she was the happiest she ever was. She was in love, making love to the only boy she had ever had true feelings for.  
Ginny found herself crying hysterically at the picture and the memory it brought back, one she had tried so hard not to return to. She glanced at the time, and knew her next appointment would be arriving soon. She went to the backroom to grab a tissue when she heard the bell of her studio ring. Mrs. Broomsdale was 30 minutes early, and Ginny had tried to clean up as best as she could with out causing too much distress for the woman. She was stressed out enough as it was, preparing for such a big event.  
"I'll be out in a minute, Mrs. Broomsdale!" Ginny shouted from the back.  
"Who's Mrs. Broomsdale?" replied a familiar male voice.  
"Jesus Christ you have got to be kidding me," Ginny stormed out of the back. "What do you want Malfoy?"  
"Heard you were back in town, wanted to check out this new place you got going for yourself, Weasley." He noticed her eyes were red and puffy, her nose red. Genuine concern, something he had unintentionally felt, flooded him. "Are you okay?"  
"I'm fine and it's none of your concern. What are you doing here? I have a client coming in soon."  
"Just looking around," Malfoy replied shortly.  
"Well, unless you and your boyfriend plan to be married any time soon, I suggest you leave."  
"Oh you're a hilarious one, Weasley. That was good, a real knee slapper."  
"GET OUT OF HEAR MALFOY!" Ginny had had enough. Her patience was wearing thin and unintentional tears started streaming down her cheek. She collapsed on the floor in heaving sobs.  
Malfoy suddenly felt like an ass, and walked over to her cautiously. "Weasley?"  
"Just leave me alone!" Ginny gasped.  
"Not until you tell me what's wrong," Malfoy probed.  
"You want to know what's wrong? The love of my life is dead, that's what's wrong with him. He's dead, gone, never coming back and I want so badly to be held by him, to have him kiss me, to have." she trailed off as another round of cries came from her. Malfoy picked her up from the floor and held him against her, and she allowed it. She needed some one to cry on. She needed Harry. 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: A New Leaf, a New Life

"And he just held you?" Hermione said with disbelief in her voice. She couldn't believe what she was hearing: Draco Malfoy having compassion, no less a heart.

"I'm more embarrassed about the whole episode if anything else, just breaking down like that in front of someone who is as evil as they come."

"What happened after that?"

"Well after crying hysterically for what seemed like 4 years, I think it finally caught up to me that I was at work, on the floor in the fetal position, holding on to dear life to this person who I hated, knowing that my next client was supposed to arrive at any moment, I just stood up. I thanked him, apologized and told him that it'd be best that he just left. And he did."

"That doesn't seem like Malfoy at all. If anything I would guess that he'd just either leave or torment you."

"You would think that, which is what confuses me about this whole situation. One minute he's being an arrogant pissant getting in my way and the next he's consoling me. And the craziest part is, it just felt safe. I would never say that about just anyone, especially Malfoy, but when I think about it I don't know if I would have felt safer in anyone else's arms but his."

"Who's arms?" Ron asked as he entered the room, returning home from seeing his parents at the Burrow.

"Robin Thicke's, he's got gorgeous features, especially his arms," Ginny replied quickly. She looked at her watch, realized that it was getting late and decided it was time to go back to her apartment.

"We'll talk more about this later," Hermione whispered and she let her friend out the door.

Once Ginny entered her apartment, she threw her keys on the end table and breathed a huge sigh, both of exhaustion and embarrassment. She went over to her answering machine, and after seeing she had no messages, went to the menu rack in her kitchen to order some Chinese food. After a day like today, she deserved it.

As she picked up the phone to call Chef Mao's, it suddenly began to ring.

"Hello?"

"Um…Weas- I mean, Ginny," coughed the other line, "It's uhh… Draco…Malfoy."

"Oh..um, hi. What can I do for you?"

"I just wanted to make sure that you know, uhh…were feeling better. Um..yeah."

Ginny had an inward chuckle regarding his awkwardness. "I'm fine. Just a moment of weakness is all." There was a pause between them before she continued. "Um, thanks for…well…just, thanks," she added on quickly, her heart starting to race a little and her stomach starting to grumble.

"Yeah..sure…no thing. Uh, bye."

"Yeah, bye…" Ginny put down the phone. Well if that wasn't just the oddest thing in the world, Malfoy checking up on her. Not like him at all. She returned to ordering her food before going into her bedroom and changing into her nighttime sweats. An odd day it had been, an odd day indeed.

Draco paced the floor of his very substantial downtown flat back and forth hurriedly, damning himself in the process.

Since losing his father two years ago in a freak accident, Draco had vowed to proudly carry on the family name (and temperament towards others) and prove to the world that the Malfoy's were not a force to be reckoned with. But with each passing day, he found himself softening towards everything, realizing that it took a lot of energy to keep up a façade of anger and resentment and hostility. He knew he had a reputation to protect and wanted to make his father proud, but he struggled with the notion that every human being was despicable and lowly compared to a Malfoy, especially when someone whom he had never met saved his life…

But Draco was not to dwell on that. It had been two years since his father's passing, and he had changed into someone he knew Lucius would never recognize, but rather despise. What happened today in Ginny's office had sincerely touched him: he felt her pain, understood what it meant to lose someone you loved, and he wanted to help her. But after Hogwarts, he knew that the damage had been done, and the Weasley's and the Malfoy's were two families that would never co-exist in the same world without pure and utter hatred. But that had been before his father's passing, before his mother became ill. How was he to prove that he was no longer that malignant and arrogant bastard from Hogwarts.

He wanted to tell her, tell her that he was impressed by her independence, impressed by how voluptuous of a woman she turned out to be, tell her how he secretly wanted to put her up against the wall that night in the street and ravage her. Draco had no shortage of romantic interests in his life, but Ginny, she and her family had always been a challenge, and that excited him even more.

Ginny spent the next morning tidying up her desk area. She actually didn't have anything to do that day being that her clients had not scheduled any appointments on that Thursday. She fidgeted with the pens, rearranged the files in her drawers, anything to keep her mind off of the kindness never before seen in such a horrid person like Malfoy. But she couldn't help thinking about being in his arms, his strong, sculpted arms that were wrapped around her, saving her from herself.

Something had changed about him, but what it was she wasn't sure. He had never shown an ounce of empathy to anyone in his life and he sat there holding her as she wept uncontrollably. Sure, she was still embarrassed, but now if anything she was more intrigued by this new behavior.

Once Ginny was satisfied with the new feng shui of her desk, she sat down to re-check emails, appointment dates, and order forms. But instead she went and Boogled Draco Malfoy, and the first article that came up shocked Ginny.

**World Renowned Death Eater Dies from Freak Accident**

_By Marl Boro_

Lucius Malfoy, perhaps one of the most talked about and most

feared out of Voldemort's army, has died in a local hospital

after what doctors and medics are calling a freak accident.

After leaving Diagon Alley with a skull in his hand, Malfoy

was seen falling to the pavement in excrutiating pain. He was

transported to St. Vincent's where a team of highly specialized

physicians diagnosed him with necrotizing fasciitis, better

known as skin-eating bacteria. The bacteria is suspected to

have been contracted through the skull he purchased and it

quickly spread from his hands through his internal organs.

Doctor's did everything they could but Malfoy was unable to be

saved. He is survived by his wife Narcissa and his son Draco.

Ginny couldn't believe what she had just read- how did she not know that Lucius was dead? And better yet, why did no one tell her? She instantly knew the answer to the first question: she was in Africa climbing Mt. Kilamanjaro, but why her family had never told her was a different story. If anything she would have thought that her father would have been pleased. She would have to get to the bottom of this. She ran to the front door and turned off the "open" sign, and quickly disapparated to The Burrow.

"Honestly, Ginny, with so much going on here, we honestly just didn't give it a second thought. There was a tiny announcement in The Daily Prophet, no funeral or memorial service was held. I suspect it was just too painful for the Malfoy's. Why do you ask anyways? I thought you didn't give an owl's ass one way or the other what happens to a Malfoy?"

"I just thought it was weird that no one told me about it."

"Well can you blame us? With Fleur having her twins, Charlie getting married and Percy graduating from Scanion's Wizarding Graduate Studies, and your father and I reaffirming our vows to one another, it just never came up. You were away, what did it matter."

"It doesn't, I guess. I was wondering."

Ginny was holding Gordon, one of the twins while her mother held Daisy as they helped the toddlers get settled in for the evening. Plus Arthur, the 5 of them had a lovely dinner together and caught up. It was the weekend, and since Ginny did not have to be at work the next morning she decided to stay at the Burrow for the evening.

But as she lay down to sleep, her mind kept wandering back to Draco and his strong arms.


	5. Lost

Chapter 5: Lost

In an attempt to remove herself from all things Malfoy, Ginny took an impromptu to the Muggle state Hawaii, more specifically Kona. But that wasn't the only reason why she fled. It was coming up on the anniversary of Harry's death, and in an attempt to avoid the "aw poor Ginny" looks from her friends and family, she cancelled the next two weeks of appointments, booked a first class ticket and set off for Kona.

The island was beautiful, with its turquoise waters, pristine beaches, warm tropical air and blue skies. Having rented a small bungalow right next to the ocean, it was perfect for evening walks under the millions of stars she couldn't see in England, mid-afternoon swims, writing and drawing in between eating pineapple and mangos to her heart's content and shopping for trinkets for her friends.

She was miserable. In between thoughts of Malfoy and his unexpected shows of kindness were the painful memories of losing her first love, her true love, Harry. She felt haunted by his presence…

_"I wish you were where you're supposed to be_

_Close to me,_

_But here I am just starin' at this candle burnin' out_

_Still no sound,_

_Of footsteps on my stairs, Or your voice anywhere…"_

She wished so badly to touch him, hold him, kiss him, make love to him. Sometimes Ginny would just reach out into nothingness at night in the hopes that maybe she'll feel the warmth of Harry's hand or lips. And it broke her heart each time she felt nothing but the gentle tropical breezes. Her emotions wavered from total sadness to anger to longing and then back to confusion. Confusion about a boy who for 7 years tortured her, cursed at her, made her feel worthless. And now, suddenly, he shows an ounce of human generosity and, strangely enough, she felt safe with him.

Malfoy passed Ginny's store, after three no returned phone calls, only to find the closed sign up. No note, no explanation on her voice mail, just upped and vanished.

"Excuse me sir, can I help you?" asked a pretty blonde walking up to him.

"I was um…wondering where the store's owner was," he said.

"Ginny's been gone and won't return until Saturday," she replied.

"Do you know where she went?"

"I don't, I just know she called and told me she needed to reschedule. I came by hoping that the store would be open and that she'd be back early but I guess that's a bust."

"Oh..well thanks," Malfoy mumbled. He shoved his hands in his pockets and walked away. "Where the hell did she go?" he wondered outloud.

"She went to Kona, Hawaii," said a soft voice from behind. Draco turned and saw Hermione Granger standing there.

"What did you say?"

"She flew to Hawaii, to a town called Kona. Full of Muggles."

"Do you know why she left?"

"Why do you care?" replied Hermione, flatly.

"I don't, I was just wondering," Draco said, slighty embarrassed.

"I know that you watched her breakdown and that you called her to check up on her," Hermione said after a moment, without the same flatness in her voice.

"You women and your gossip."

"Do you have feelings for Ginny?" asked Hermione bluntly.

"What? Hell no! I just wanted to make sure she was okay, after… you know…what happened…"

"You DO have feelings for her don't you?" What happened Malfoy? What made you go from the scum of the earth to suddenly this nice guy? Are you trying to pull something? Break her heart again because let me tell you, if you do anything to hurt her I swear to Merlin I was eviscerate you twice." Hermione grew closer to Draco with a fire in her eyes, but it wasn't all anger.

"No! I don't want to hurt her- I mean I don't have feelings for her, I was just making sure she was okay, dammit Granger."

"Then you need to leave her alone. She's had enough already without you confusing her or making her feel something that will only break her heart."

"She feels something? For me?" Draco perked.

"No," Hermione said quickly, her eyes shifting away from his.

"Does she?"

"Well what would you expect, you hold her in your arms while she's at her most vulnerable, you call and check up on her and now you're out hear skulking around her office wondering out loud where she is."

"She gets back Saturday?" he asked.

"Late."

_They stood on the beach, holding each other so very tightly. Ginny's eyes were streaming down her face._

_"You can't go, you can't just come back and then leave me! You can't do that to me! Harry I love you! Please, don't go!" she said as she sobbed. _

_"I'm always going to love you Ginny, I'll always be here for you. Whenever you look at the stars or feel the wind on your face I'll be there. You don't have to be afraid anymore. You don't have to be sad, I don't want you to be sad."_

_"Please don't leave me again Harry. Not again."_

_Harry placed both hands on Ginny's face and kissed her deeply. Through her tears she could feel the warmth of his lips on hers and she never wanted it to end. He hugged her one last time, kissed her forehead, and left her embrace._

_"Harry! Please!" Ginny cried. But he just smiled at her as he walked towards the ocean, eventually disappearing. _

"HARRY!" Ginny screamed as she awoke from her dream. Tears were flowing down her face. She jumped out of bed and ran out of the bungalow towards the ocean. She waited for him to reappear, searching the vast darkness of the horizon for any indication that he had come back to her.

"Harry…" she whispered through her tears, hoping that he'd answer back. Instead a gust of wind came through.

_Whenever you look at the stars or feel the wind on your face I'll be there._

Ginny fell to the sand and cried, cried out of desperation and pain. The dream had felt so real, felt like Harry really was with her and come back to her. His kiss was warm, she felt his arms around her, saw the look in his eye as he left. She wanted so badly for it to be real, to see her beloved one more time.

The sun began to peak above the cliffs in the East, and the stars began to disappear from the sky. It was time for Ginny to go home, and while she knew the way back, she had never felt so alone and so lost.

Lyrics courtesy of Carrie Underwood, on her new album "Carnival Ride". The song is called 'I Know You Won't'.


End file.
